Good question. I notice that a lot of the drivers of the big 4×4 crew cab 1-ton pickups are kids (raltively speaking). I notice a lot of people in the 40+ age groups who aspire to gravitate away from the corporate career path in favor of a more flexible and family-oriented lifestyle, even at the expense of their bottom line.

I know I’ve phrased it this way myself (probably based on my own biases), but it occurs to me those alternate expectations may be better characterized as being “different” rather than “reduced”. All chosen lifestyles involve some level of compromise and hence carry their own stressors resulting from the downsides of that compromise. One is not more virtuous than another by right; it only becomes more or less of a conflict based on the individuals ability and willingness to live with both sides of the paths they choose. A person who struggles to deal with the downside of “settling” for less isn’t necessarily any happier than a person who has to struggle to deal with the downsides of paying to have more.